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HF 269

A bill for an act prohibiting certain requirements for students and faculty at regents institutions relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory and including applicability provisions.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HF 269 blocks public universities from requiring or incentivizing DEI/CRT courses for degree completion or basing faculty evaluation on DEI/CRT content.

Subcommittee recommends passage.
#collegesanduniversities #curricula #diversity #racialgroups #regentsboard #students #teachers
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Bill Summary · HF 269

Summary — HF 269 (Freedom from Indoctrination Act)

Status: Subcommittee recommends passage
Introduced: February 6, 2025
Subject: Public higher education (Regents institutions), curricula, diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI), critical race theory (CRT), students, faculty

Purpose / Intent

HF 269 would restrict certain requirements and incentives tied to diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory–related content and activities at public universities governed by the state board of regents. The stated goal is to prevent students and faculty from being required or constrained to participate in specified DEI/CRT courses, trainings, or practices as conditions of degree completion, course approval, or faculty evaluation.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a new chapter (261K) containing:

    • Definitions (261K.1), including:
    • “Board” = state board of regents.
    • “Constrain” = failure to provide enough open seats in alternative courses so a student cannot complete degree/program requirements.
    • A detailed definition of “diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory–related content,” listing topics (e.g., critical theory, systemic racism, anti‑racism, microaggressions, implicit bias, intersectionality, social justice, allyship, race‑based reparations, etc.) and describing concepts the bill treats as falling under that label (e.g., content that promotes differential treatment by race or the idea that neutral laws perpetuate oppression).
    • “DEI/CRT practices” to include workshops, trainings, seminars, or professional development on such content.
    • Exclusion: programming that is explicitly required to satisfy legal obligations (Title IX, ADA, ADEA, Title VI, or an applicable court order) is not considered DEI/CRT practices under this definition.
    • Limitation on academic requirements (261K.2): the board must adopt a policy ensuring institutions do not require or “constrain” students to enroll in DEI/CRT‑related courses to satisfy any degree or certificate requirement (general education, major, minor, certificate), except as provided in section 261K.4 (text of 261K.4 not included in supplied excerpts).
    • Limitation on faculty requirements (261K.3): public institutions and persons acting for them shall not require, solicit, or incentivize faculty to participate in DEI/CRT practices or to include DEI/CRT content in courses as a condition of course approval, program designation/listing, or as a condition in faculty performance consideration (promotion/tenure/evaluation language appears to be the intended scope).

  • Amendment notes:

    • H‑1111 added an exception stating section 261K.4 does not apply to students or faculty in health care fields, nor to health care providers (per section 135.24) participating in DEI/CRT continuing education.
    • H‑1114 (to H‑1111) struck a particular occurrence of the phrase “and critical race theory” in the amendment text (indicating some narrowing/wording change in amendment language).
    • H‑1082 made minor clerical edits.

Who is affected

  • Primary: students and faculty at public institutions governed by the state board of regents.
  • Secondary: university administrators, program/department chairs, DEI offices, and continuing education providers (with a health‑care continuing‑education carve‑out in an amendment).
  • Potentially affected: contractors, trainers, and units that design or require DEI/CRT training; academic program curricula and scheduling.

Practical effects and considerations

  • Institutions would need to ensure alternative, available course seats so students are not “constrained” into DEI/CRT courses for degree progress.
  • Hiring, promotion, tenure, or performance evaluation practices could be limited in using participation in DEI/CRT trainings or inclusion of such content as a positive or negative factor.
  • The bill expressly does not cover activities mandated by certain federal civil‑rights or disability laws or court orders; an amendment creates an explicit health‑care continuing‑education exception.
  • Implementation would require the board to promulgate policy and institutions to revise curricular and personnel policies; legal and accreditation implications (and interactions with federal nondiscrimination obligations) may arise in practice.

Legislative timeline (selected)

  • Introduced: 2025-02-06
  • House passed: 2025-03-18 (yeas 63, nays 34)
  • Multiple amendments filed and acted on (H‑1082 adopted; H‑1114 to H‑1111 adopted; H‑1111 later failed on the floor as amended)
  • Referred to Education; Subcommittee (Gruenhagen, Pike, Quirmbach) met 03/31/2025
  • 2025-03-31: Subcommittee recommends passage

Note: The bill text provided includes several amendments and some sections (e.g., 261K.4) referenced but not shown; readers should consult the official bill text and amendment history for the final enacted language and any subsequent changes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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